As GMDC’s annual General Merchandise Conference gets underway in Orlando, Fla., spirits are running high as the association will unveil several new initiatives and will celebrate the appointment of Patrick Spear as the new CEO during the event.

While building a 4,500-store retail pharmacy powerhouse in the United States, Walmart also has kept pace with the specialty pharmacy revolution and is positioning itself to play a stronger role in this most innovative, dynamic and complex area of pharmaceutical R&D and bioengineering.

In July, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy and the Specialty Pharmacy Association of America announced the two organizations would merge, creating the largest professional and trade association in the specialty pharmacy industry. To find out more,DSNinterviewed Larry Irene, CEO of Armada Health Care and SPAARx founder, and Gary Cohen, CEO of NASP.

Recognizing the important role that community pharmacy plays, McKesson has long focused on providing solutions to help pharmacists improve patient adherence and enhance patient outcomes as evidenced by programs and solutions offered through McKesson Patient Relationship Solutions (MPRS). However, the growing understanding of pharmacists’ impact on adherence and its importance in today’s evolving healthcare landscape has validated pharmacy based solutions as McKesson bolsters its portfolio of tools.

They say the early bird catches the worm, and that was definitely the case as attendees of this year’s McKesson ideaShare conference arrived at some early morning continuing education courses last week that were geared toward enhancing the pharmacy as a business and improving patient outcomes.

On the final day of meetings at McKesson’s ideaShare 2014 Wednesday morning, Ann Richardson Berkey, McKesson SVP public affairs, reviewed the key political issues impacting pharmacy today — from controlled substances to provider status — and closed the session with an interview with Florida Rep. Matt Hudson, R-District 80.

“You have to be willing to do what your competition is not willing to do.” That was one of the key messages from motivational speaker and Olympic speed skier Vince Poscente, which also tied into the message Steve Courtman, president of Health Mart, and Tony Willoughby, Health Mart chief pharmacist, had for attendees at Tuesday morning’s Health Mart Annual Meeting.

McKesson hosted its seventh annual RxOwnership Ownership Transfer Luncheon on Tuesday, where attendees interested in either acquiring an independent pharmacy operation, or selling one, could learn more about the programs and support available to them.

Tuesday morning’s Health Mart Annual Meeting provided franchisee members with an overview of recent investments in the franchise and McKesson’s plans to “help level the playing field” for independent pharmacies through new programs that improve patient outcomes and pharmacy efficiency, as well as more flexible and local marketing efforts.

Fresh from Tuesday morning’s Health Mart Annual Meeting at 2014 McKesson ideaShare, attendees eagerly gathered to take part in the Health Mart University Live sessions that addressed key topics for independent pharmacy success.

During the Opening General Session at McKesson’s 2014 ideaShare conference, Frank Starn, SVP and COO of McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical, and Steve Courtman, president, Health Mart, presented Milwaukee, Wis.-based Hayat Health Mart Pharmacy with the grand prize as the 2014 Pharmacy of the Year award winner.

Even before the official start of this year’s McKesson ideaShare conference, the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center was buzzing with attendees eager to take advantage of the robust lineup of continuing education courses held on Sunday and Monday.

This year’s McKesson ideaShare 2014 kicked off with a bang as thousands of community pharmacy leaders flocked to Orlando, Fla., to participate in the annual event and seize the opportunities to grow in today’s changing healthcare landscape.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Five-Star Quality Rating System already is impacting how pharmacies think about their patients and their medication adherence programs, noted Samuel Stolpe, director of quality strategies for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance, during a Lunch and Learn session Monday at McKesson ideaShare called “When the Stars Align: Prepare Your Pharmacy For Success.” According to Stolpe, it’s going to become a bigger influencer going forward, especially as the industry develops a pharmacy Star metric that will have a public element and certain health plans experiment with pay-for-performance models to incentivize higher Star ratings among pharmacies.

Addressing 3,000 independent pharmacy attendees representing more than 1,000 pharmacies at the McKesson ideaShare 2014, Mark Walchirk, president of McKesson’s U.S. pharmaceutical unit outlined the myriad of opportunities open to community pharmacy today, and how McKesson is investing in its independent pharmacy offerings to help those independents realize every one of those opportunities.

The Hamacher Resource Group has announced that Dave Wendland, VP and member of the owners group at Hamacher Resource Group, will be speaking to members of the American Society for Automation in Pharmacy June 27 at their 2014 Midyear conference in Palm Beach, Fla., and on July 21, will speak to independent pharmacists attending McKesson’s IdeaShare conference in Orlando, Fla.

Poll

Poll

Which of the current U.S. Presidential hopefuls do you think would be best for your business?

Hillary Clinton

Jeb Bush

Donald Trump

Ted Cruz

Ben Carson

Scott Walker

Marco Rubio

Rand Paul

Chris Christie

Mike Huckabee

SPECIAL REPORTS

Pharmacy’s battle for recognition continues

Fifty years ago this summer, President Lyndon B. Johnson secured his place in history by signing into law the legislation that created Medicare and Medicaid. To commemorate the anniversary, Drug Store News has put together an exclusive report on the effect that Medicare and Medicaid have had on the retail pharmacy industry and how it has transformed the role of the pharmacist. more...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN profiles Rite Aid and how the company is achieving a vision to become a retail healthcare company that delivers a higher level of care to its communities; takes you on a tour of Sears; offers insight into millennial shoppers and more. Click here to view the issue.